


Stories of Alledia

by The_Archives_of_Silver



Category: Amulet (Graphic Novels)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Kissing, Mentions of an amulet oc, Pokemon - Freeform, Romance, She’s plain evil, Trellis has a cat, after the story, merfolk, oneshots, otp kid ocs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-03-27 07:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13875873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Archives_of_Silver/pseuds/The_Archives_of_Silver
Summary: A book of oneshots dedicated to the amulet characters, mainly Emily and Trellis. Big surprise, right?There will be Aus, oneshots of the relationships between characters and tons of nonsense here and there! Tags may change.





	1. Blankets and Pokémon

Trellis curled up beside Emily, shifting under t he covers in order to link his arms around her stomach.

“What are you doing?” he asked, trying to make out what her character was doing as she looked down at her 3DS' screen. They were probably running.

“Playing Pokémon Ultra Sun,” she responded, moving the shift stick to have her character go into some tall grass.

The screen flashed white twice and fast paced music started. Through the grass appeared a small, dark rodent, which seemed to sport both a curled tail and  mustache .

“What’s that?” Trellis asked.

“Just a  Rattata ,” Emily grunted, annoyed at the small rat Pokémon that’d plagued her several times.

Her character threw a small red-and-white ball out onto the grass; with a flash of light, it released a large black-and-red cat. The tiger-like creature landed on two legs and brandished its claws, almost taunting the small rat. The bottom screen lit up with options: 'Fight', 'Bag', 'Pokémon', and 'Run'. Trellis watched in fascination as Emily selected 'Fight' and picked a dark brown option. Darkest Lariat.

Incineroar  used Darkest Lariat!

The “ Incineroar’s ” hand-like paws lit up with a black and red energy, and it spun around towards the target, careening into the small rat violently. The green bar under the  Rattata’s  name quickly changed  color , shrinking from green, to yellow, to red, and finally to an empty black.

The wild  Rattata  fainted!

Trellis watched in silent shock as the rat Pokémon gave its cry and flopped down, shrinking 'til it disappeared. More text popped up and the screen faded to black, lighting up a moment later to hover over Emily’s character.

“What was that all about?” Trellis asked.

Emily glanced over her shoulder at him. “The whole point of the game is to raise your Pokémon, defeat other Pokémon in battles, stop the evil teams and become the champion of the region,” she explained. “Beating other Pokémon in battles is how you gain experience points and raise your Pokémon’s level, thus making them stronger.”

Trellis eyed the screen, furrowing his brow in confusion. “I think I understand,” he said. “It’s like animal fights?”

Emily shook her head.

“Not exactly; the Pokémon don’t kill each other, and we don’t place bets,” she replied. “It’s all just for clean fun.”

Trellis nodded, obviously understanding more clearly.

“So how do you get these Pokémon?” he asked. “Do you just have this tiger thing?”

“You catch them in a  Pokéball  during battle if you want; or you can trade Pokémon with other players for ones that you want but can’t find in-game,” Emily explained. “You can catch as many as you want, but can only bring along six at a time.”

She opened up the menu and selected the option marked "Pokémon". The small sprites in the buttons jumped happily, quickening when she selected the Pokémon.

“My team is comprised of  Incineroar ,  Mudsdale ,  Salazzle ,  Alakazam ,  Flareon , and  Kommo -o," Emily rattled off, as she showed Trellis each Pokémon on their respective personal summary page.

“I liked the last one,” he commented. “The plated dragon was rather impressive.”

It was pretty cool. Emily smiled. 

“If you think he’s cool like that, wait until I find  Kommonium  Z,” she said. “Z moves are the most powerful moves a Pokémon can use, it’s pretty cool.”

Trellis nodded in false understanding; he really had no idea what Emily was talking about and hoped that she wouldn’t call out his small bluff.

Emily snuggled back up against Trellis' chest and selected something called "Pokémon Refresh".

“ Wanna  pet them?” she asked, glancing back at him.

Trellis' brow quirked up, looking at the screen in confusion.

“They’re not really alive, Emily,” he stated.

She rolled her eyes, groaning in annoyance.

“Don’t ruin the fun,” she grunted. "Do you want to pet them or not?" She held out the stylus to him expectantly.

Trellis looked between the object, Emily, and the object again. Tentatively, he took the stylus from her hand. Emily rolled over ungracefully to face him, shifting till she got comfortable, her cheek and palm pressed to his chest. Trellis took the game system between his fingers. The screen displayed  Incineroar , and the animation was rather realistic regarding how the creature moved; it seemed to be a living, breathing being.

“Don’t pet his head,” Emily warned. “Some Pokémon have spots where they don’t like to be touched.”

Trellis looked at her and slowly used the stylus to pet the beast’s shoulders. It reacted as any creature would, opening its toothy maw in a smile and closing its eyes happily. After a moment,  Incineroar growled happily, lifting its head. Trellis smiled, a small quirk of the lips, but definitely there.

“What about the dragon one?” he asked.

Reaching over to tap the screen, Emily switched the Pokémon over, and brought up  Kommo -o. Oddly to him, its name read "Trellis". He looked down to Emily, raising a brow in smug questioning.

“It reminded me of you; it has a rash nature,” Emily explained bashfully, lowering her head in order to hide the blush that crept along her cheeks. “Just play the game.”

The scaly Pokémon appeared and roared in delight. Trellis moved the stylus along its head, and the beastie comprised of data lowered it to let him pet it, roaring with happiness. Terrifying, yet peculiarly endearing.

“You can feed him too,” Emily commented, keeping her eyes on the screen. “Just click the button in the top left corner and give it a bean.”

Trellis followed her instructions, after a lot of trouble learning how to pick up the yellow bean. But just as he selected the bean for the Pokémon to eat, he reduced the stylus' pressure on the screen. The bean quickly fell down, dropping across the touch screen and disappearing off the bottom.  Kommo -o roared furiously and Trellis flinched, his eyes widening like a cat who’d just seen something most unexpected. He looked down at Emily for some sort of explanation.

“You’d be mad too if someone dropped your food,” Emily deadpanned. “Don’t let go of the bean until you've put it just below his mouth and he's eaten it all.”

Trellis obeyed, putting more pressure on the treat to ensure his grip remained firm.  Kommo -o munched merrily on the snack, holding a claw up as if to help hold the treat in place. Once it'd finished, downing it incredibly in three bites, it growled happily.

Trellis allowed a small to make its way along his face, the corner of his mouth curling up unfamiliarly. “I like this game,” he commented, resting his chin on top of Emily’s head.

“Yeah?” she smirked. “Want a game of your own?”

Trellis cast her a teasing look. “What, are you hoping I name a Pokémon after you, perhaps that rat creature-?” Trellis teased. “Ow!”

Emily released the lock of his hair between her fingers. “Oops, sorry,” she said dully.

Trellis grunted irritably but closed the game system, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. Emily balled up against his chest and sighed in relaxed contentment. The slow rhythm of his hand softly trailing up and down her side soothed her, her mind becoming fuzzy as she began to drift off.

“If you’re naming anything after me, it’s either  Delphox or  Talonflame ,” she mumbled sleepily.

Trellis laughed that low, throaty laugh of his that made Emily’s heart hammer within the walls of her chest.

“Show me them later and I’ll consider.”


	2. Son of mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Virgil is born into the world and Trellis worries over the reception his son will receive. Virgil isn’t full elf after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A humongous thanks to Laqueus axotl for being the beta of this fic and for helping me become a better writer!

Virgil’s eyes were different from his father’s. They were elven in appearance but instead of having a white iris, his were a very light cloudy gray. Uncommon, but it was to be expected. He wasn’t a full elf.

Trellis looked down at the infant in his hands, swaddled in a velvet, purple blanket. He sat on the edge of his bed, Emily fast asleep beside him.

Best not to disturb her, the past hours had been painful for her and she wouldn't take well to her much-needed rest being interrupted.

Trellis just stared silently at the child. Virgil, named after Trellis’ beloved uncle, locked his gaze with his father’s, his eyes wide and unblinking.

Despite the inherited gray skin of the elves, Virgil’s hair was oddly....human. It was red like his mother’s. Diverse hair color was very uncommon in elves; elven hair was mainly white, or if you had the better side of the family genes, black. Black was rare, but the color prominent in the baby’s soft locks seemed to out match the gene in rarity.

The patch of hair was small, wisps of dusky red hair on top of his head. Darker and almost dustier in color than his mother’s. Trellis could only assume it was a product of his elf-human mixed traits.

Come to think of it, his elven traits weren’t exactly.... well, elven.

Virgil's gray skin was lighter than his father’s and Trellis could tell, upon closer inspection, his serpent-like pupils dilated more than an elf’s could. Small, barely noticeable, but still very much there.

Trellis could only pray to the heavens above that the other members of his species did not notice the (painful to admit) abnormalities.

Then again, Trellis could always just blame the oddities on his father. That was basically just the reason his father had existed; he was born to ruin things and to be blamed for his descendants' misfortunes.

Serves him right.

Virgil shifted a bit in his father’s grasp, becoming uncomfortable with his position. Trellis flinched back to the modern world as Virgil grunted in dissatisfaction and Trellis quickly lifted him up to rest against his shoulder, a position that the infant seemed to find more secure than the previous one.

Virgil cooed pleasantly and pushed his soft, chubby cheek into his father’s neck. Trellis tensed up at the contact, shoulders going rigid for a fraction for a moment. Slowly, he relaxed, gently patting Virgil’s back.

Trellis was never a person to be in the company of children. He found them a nuisance, something that merely got underfoot - even in his own youth. He preferred the company of literature, his uncle, and on occasion, Logi.

Other kids were a rare distraction in the palace, but an obstacle to avoid when he had lived with his uncle. If it was a bad day, he’d have to hide a bruise. Good days consisted of the occasional book being knocked from his hands, or an insult or two. Those didn’t bother him that much.

But having little experience with how to deal with other kids and being the youngest had left him with no clue how to deal with his own kids. What do you say when a kid is scared? How do you help them when they’re hurt or crying? What was he supposed to tell them when they’re going through peer pressure? How does a new parent get a kid ready for college? What the hell is a college fund?!

A soft hand brushed along Trellis’ back, startling him from his anxious thoughts. He turned quickly to meet Emily’s tired gaze. She propped her head up on her palm, her other hand resting on his back, brushing in relaxing circles.

“You’re stressed,” Emily said, voice hoarse from sleep and the previous hours of birthing.

“I’m just thinking,” he assured her, shifting until he was resting back on the headboard.

Emily groaned in low discomfort as she tried to sit up a bit. Trellis reached out a hand, words of caution on his lips until she raised her hand. Her number one way to say “Shut up, I got this.” Silent but very effective.

Once she had shifted up into a more comfortable position, she held her arms out for Virgil. Her husband was secretly more than happy to give the child back to her, settling him into her waiting arms.

Virgil smiled a wide, toothless smile when he caught a glimpse of his mother’s face, wiggling cheerfully within his blanket like a caterpillar within a chrysalis. Emily grinned back, lifting the cloth-swaddled bundle to press a gentle kiss to his soft head.

Trellis watched the exchange quietly and he couldn’t help but feel a small (very small, mind you) twinge of jealousy in his gut. She seemed to be adjusting to this so quickly. Well, he could consider she had nine months’ worth of discomforts, morning sickness, pains, and horribly violent mood swings to prepare for this. Now she was holding this fragile bundle with little to no apprehension.

And he’d be lying if he wasn’t a tad bit jealous of Emily’s gesture of affection to someone who’d only been around for an hour. The most he'd received for the past 24 hours were death threats and curses as she lay in complete agony trying to bring Virgil into the world.

Trellis inched up next to her and gently rested his chin on her head, nearly hesitant. He could almost feel her smile as she pushed her head back up against his chin.

These small nudges were an oddly intimate sign of affection, strictly done only when they were alone. It was almost taboo for royalty to show any affection outside of palace walls, near disgraceful. It was as if he was expected to be made of stone. Firm and emotionless.

This behavioral demand made these small, secret touches so much more meaningful. A sweet brush of the hand through hair, a gentle kiss, a second long tight hug, it was all made so much more impactful. A gentle reminder that he wasn’t alone or unloved.

“I know you’re worried about him,” Emily said. “You’re worried Virgil will be rejected for his heritage.”

Trellis sighed, turning to rest his cheek against her head. “Yes,” he said. “But can you blame me? Most of the kingdom is already expecting me to turn out like my father, human and elf relations are still rocky, and my people were not too thrilled at our marriage, let alone the news of your pregnancy. It’s just...”

He ran a hand through his hair with a weary sigh.

“I don’t want him to suffer because of me.”

“You shut those thoughts out right now,” Emily said sharply, sitting up a little more to look him in the eye and holding Virgil against her shoulder. Hard brown eyes met sharp white ones and her hand rested against his cheek.

“What happens to Virgil is not your fault, and neither is how other elves choose to treat him,” she said firmly, her thumb swiping along his skin. ”The only thing we are responsible for is making sure he knows he is loved.”

Trellis smiled softly and leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, heavy with bone-deep uncertainty.

“I’m just worried,” he confessed.

“I am too,” Emily said. “Guess that’s all part of parenthood.”

Trellis huffed in amusement and glanced down at their baby, still rested up against her shoulders.

“Can I hold him again?” he asked in a quiet voice. “Please?”

Emily smiled a little, the heart in her chest warming up with affection. She gently shifted Virgil in her arms and rested him in the arms of his father, leaning against his strong shoulder to look down on her beautiful baby and wrapping her arms around Trellis’ abdomen.

Trellis gazed down at the bundle in his arms, now fast asleep. A small smile found its way to his lips as he took in his son’s features.

Virgil had his nose, barely noticeable, but still very much there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First one shot didn’t do all that well, but I’m back and I’m bigger and better than ever!
> 
> Once again, big thanks to Laqueus!
> 
> Comments are appreciated and constructive criticism is appreciated as well, just be polite please.


	3. Luxury Few Could Afford

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a prince, Trellis has very few luxuries. Well, except for one and she was one few could afford and one even fewer wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought Trellis was a cat person seeing his calm, relaxed demeanor. Seeing his luck, he’d probably be stuck with one of the most difficult cats to ever walk Alledia.

Many elves considered the prince’s cat the spawn of a demon, if not a demon herself.

Luxury had shown up one day, out of the blue when Trellis was young, the Mau pawing at his window in his uncle’s cottage. She was a skinny creature, spotted coat dirty, her ribs evident.

She looked at him through the window with the saddest yellow eyes he had ever seen and he couldn’t help but open the window and let her in. She curled up on his bed, inching away when the young prince tried to pet her. Perhaps food would persuade her? A peace offering of sorts.

He “borrowed” some meat from the kitchen and fed it to her, Luxury gulping down the slices of conebeak meat like she hadn’t eaten in ages. He gently ran his fingers through her fur, the cat allowing him to pat her head gently.

Little did he know he had practically sold his soul to her in the form of some kind of pact in that one act of kindness.

Luxury never left him alone after that, tailing him like a duckling and following him back to Valcor when he was no longer allowed to live with his uncle. He knew he wouldn’t be allowed to keep her in the palace so he left her in the care of a neighbor. Oh, but that wouldn’t stop her.

Luxury genuinely astounded him. She walked all the way to the capital, Valcor from the Gulfen peninsula wetlands. It must have been a very long walk.

Her loyalty astounded him. That and the peculiar fact that she never seemed to actually age. She lived by his side all through his childhood and into his adulthood without looking a day older since he met her. It was quite confusing and actually kind of concerning. He actually considered the whole demon cat rumor to be true, but he was grateful for the company so he never complained.

At least when she wasn’t acting like a complete demon.

Luxury may be a beautiful cat and tend to be very affectionate towards him but heavens help whoever else crossed paths with her. She was aloof, nasty tempered, destructive, jealous, and sometimes just downright evil.

She, like many other cats, liked to knock things over and witness the object go clattering to the floor. She seemed to do it whenever she felt that she did not have Trellis’ 100% attention. He could be absentmindedly petting her and if he stopped for even a moment, she would knock over anything within swiping distance.

Book? On the floor.

Picture frame? Forget it, it’s trash bin contents now.

Cup of water? She couldn’t care less. To the floor with it!

Trellis again and again would reprimand, gripe, and threaten her but in the end it always was the same. She’d look up at him with those innocent eyes, purr and nuzzle a little, and once again get him to forgive her.

Curse his forgiving nature.

He didn’t mind Luxury’s little... personality quirks, if he could call them that. Well, at least the ones she did to him.

He could live without her knocking things over when she was attention needy. The whole habit of gathering his clean clothing into a nest and not letting him get near it was irritating at most. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t mind her habit of screeching in the early hours of the morning to be let out.

But then there was her irrational, profound hatred for everyone that wasn’t him.

She had a bad habit of acting all sweet to anyone who wasn’t her elven companion, mewling sweetly and brushing against their legs. If the person ignored her, she’d just meow louder. As soon as the victim bent down to give her a pat, her attitude would do a complete 180.

She’d hiss and claw at any exposed skin, biting the victim as if she had some kind of vendetta against them. Didn’t matter if she had never met the person, nor did it concern her if the poor fool to fall for her ruse was young, old, male, or female.

She hated people and they hated her right back.

Luxury was notorious among the guards. She just couldn’t be killed! They’d chase after her, weapons in hand and she seemed to enjoy it! It was like a game to her! Irritate them until they took chase, run around for a little, turn the corner and suddenly just disappear.

The guards would threaten Trellis with hazardous claims of skinning the demon cat and waving her pelt on a flag if she was ever caught by them. Trellis merely responded with threats of repaying their actions with a punishment similar to whatever they did to the cat.

To add salt to the wounds, no sooner had the threats been said and the guards were brushed off by the prince, in Luxury would stride and flaunt herself with no shame. She’d make direct eye contact with the guards, curl herself around Trellis’ leg and purr in satisfaction. A reward for Trellis’ loyal protection and a taunt to the furious kings-man.

The elf king couldn’t care less about a cat on palace grounds.

“Just ignore it,” he’d say to any complaints. He had better things to do than listen to the whines of steel covered men about some furry pest.

Luxury was thankfully smart enough to stay away from the king and smart enough to stay away from Trellis when Sybrian became an issue. She pretty much vanished from the palace when her companion was no longer himself and did not come back after he had joined the rebellion. The guards silently celebrated her disappearance.

When the rightful king came home to reclaim his throne, Luxury returned too and the guards’ short time of peace was over. But it wasn’t going to be all peaches and cream for Luxury either.

She was a jealous cat, she hated anyone that took her companion’s attention away from her. His uncle, his brother, the guards, his dad. If anyone got between them, they marked themselves a threat to her and she would be upon them, claws out and teeth bared.

When Emily came to Valcor with Trellis, Luxury made it her mission to ruin her life.

“Trellis!” Emily shouted, holding up one of her pants like a bloody weapon.

Trellis flinched, turning his gaze tohis wife.

Oh dear.

The pants she held up were torn, the claw marks raking through the fabric and spots were the perpetrator tore the fabric with their teeth made the identity of the culprit obvious.

Luxury.

“Before anything, no, I am not going to get rid of Luxury,” he said firmly.

“Trellis, this isn’t the first time she’s done stuff like this!” Emily snapped. “I’ve met some vindictive cats but Luxury is on a whole different level! She hates me and attacks me like a demon out of hell! If she’s this bad with me, what is she gonna do when our baby is born?!”

Trellis looked to the floor grimly.

Luxury hated people to a degree that it was concerning but she loathed children. He guessed that they liked to torment her before he met her so her default reaction to any child within 20 feet of her was to go bat out of Hell crazy, hissing and spitting up a storm until Trellis either asked the child to leave for their own safety or forcibly place the cat away from them.

Emily was no different. Luxury got into a nasty habit of waiting around corners for Emily to pass by, launching herself at the woman and viciously attacking her exposed legs. She started clawing at anything that had her scent on it or leaving unpleasant gifts around.

One time, Trellis has pulled Emily against his chest, seeking her attention and love. As soon as Luxury saw the pair in an embrace, she threw the biggest fit Trellis had the displeasure to see. She hissed,screeched, and attacked Emily with a vengeance.

It was horrible what she would do to Emily but now that she was expecting his child...

The combination of hating anything that had to do with Emily and her hatred for children would be a recipe for disaster. But he loved Luxury. He didn’t have any companions growing up and Luxury stepped in to be that for him.

“I know you hate her but she means a lot to me,” Trellis said softly. 

When his uncle Virgil was killed, father had clawed the skin across his eye, and Sybrian had possessed him for the first time, the only one who dried his tears was Luxury. Sybrian released his control over Trellis and let him go, the young boy escaping to his room. Sybrian merely needed to see if the puppet functioned properly and went along his way. He’d be back.

No sooner had Trellis arrived, he collapsed to the floor and broke down in tears. He felt humiliated, angry, hurt and... violated. That creature taking over him, using him as some sort of puppet felt so wrong and invasive. Trellis could control nothing now. Not his future, not the the events that occurred, and now not even his own body. He owned nothing.

Luxury was resting on his pillow (something she wasn’t allowed to do) and sat up when he came in, her expression concerned as the boy wept. She could sense his despair and the odd, metallic stench of...blood?

She had jumped down from the bed and pressed up against him, trying to get him to focus more of his attention on her. When he curled in on himself more, Luxury pursued still. She just kept brushing and nuzzling until Trellis finally looked up.

He never thought a cat could express such panic. She mewled and sniffed at the aching, stitched wound. Her sandpaper tongue lapped up the tears and dried spots of blood, carefully cleaning his face. Luxury brushed her muzzle under his chin softly, quietly mewling in concern.

Trellis, who had been relatively silent during the moment lost his resolve and embraced her, burying his face into her fur and weeping silently. Luxury wasn’t one for hugs but she seemed to make an exception this one time, purring reassuringly.

That was the last time he saw her for a while. Possessions became more frequent and she stayed away. Luxury knew whatever came to the room at the end of the day wasn’t her Trellis. Not anymore.

When they reunited the day he came back home, it was the happiest he had seen her.

Emily softened a bit. “I’m worried she’ll hurt the baby,” she sighed. “I know you really love her, but she already hates children and me. What are we gonna do when she starts doing what she does to me to our baby?”

Trellis paused and looked to the floor. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll handle her, trust me.”

Emily seemed she wanted to say something but relented with a shake of her head.

“Ok.”

Trellis breathed a sigh of relief and stood up, taking her hands in his. “Thank you,” he said, leaning down to kiss her lips. “It really means a lot.”

Emily smiled against his lips, holding him tightly. Almost instantly, an angry mrrrrowrrr ripped through the air. Luxury sprinted through the door way, making a beeline towards the couple.

Trellis acted quickly and lifted Emily off the floor, hoisting her into his arms.

“No, Luxury!” He said sternly.

The cat meowed sharply, tail lashing. She hissed at the woman in his embrace and her ears flattened to her head.

“No, you’re mean.” He said back, matching the distaste in the cat’s body language.

Luxury’s ears simply flattened further against her head as she turned tail and stalked up to the couples’ bed. She jumped up onto Emily’s pillow and while making complete eye contact, tore her claws through the fabric.

“Luxury, you demon!” Trellis shouted, setting Emily down to walk threateningly towards the cat.

Luxury immediately bolted, out the door and off to who knows where.

“She can stay but don’t expect me to be civil with her if she pulls stuff like this,” Emily griped, holding up her tattered pillow.

Trellis sighed and shook his head in defeat. “I can’t say I blame you,” he said with a huff of breath.

When young Virgil was born, Luxury was cautious as usual and more than a little miffed at the attention the tiny child attracted from both parents. A week after his birth, she was never seen out of his company, curling around the little bundle and watching over him with doting eyes.

She still hated Emily though, but a little less. For Trellis and Virgil’s sake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luxury is actually based on my neighbor’s cat. She hates everyone that isn’t her owner.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me, Trellis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS FOR SUPERNOVA

A hoarse scream ripped from Emily's throat.

The fire burns throughout her, the scorching agony searing flesh and bone but there is no clear injury visible to the naked eye. Oh, but the pain! The intense burn that feels worse than bare skin to a coal fire is almost too much to bear.

She can feel herself fading away, feel her physical form fall apart into a mass of flames that replace her body. Her own consciousness is falling away, like on the verge of unwanted sleep that will no doubt become a horrific nightmare. She can hear Trellis screaming her name, desperate and very much afraid. Trellis... His face is in the corner of her eye, flickering in and out of sight. 

_Forgive me, Trellis. Please... forgive me...._

That is her final thought before she slips into darkness. A final plea for someone she hurt in her blind rage to find forgiveness in his armored, yet tender heart for her.

She slips away and there is nothing left but the Phoenix, the fire bird of rage and destruction.

Inside the stonekeeper sleeps, praying her companion finds her family and finds it in his heart to forgive her.

Of course he does.

One could argue it was his nature. Others would argue that grief and saudade drive him to overpower his hurt and anger caused by her transgressions. 

Regardless of his reasons, when Emily returns to him, he is overjoyed. The Phoenix is no more and Emily finally returns to him. He smiles, a genuine smile that she has rarely seen.

_"Emily, you're back!"_

_"Trellis!"_

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated! See my Instagram page for art of the stories!


End file.
